Older Preemies

My BFF weighed 2lbs 2oz when she was born in 1972. She and her twin sister were probably about 35-36 weeks along, but since she was so tiny (probably IGR) they didn't realize she was there until she was born.

At the time, she was the smallest birthweight baby born in that hospital to leave alive. Now she's a graduate of Rice and Yale, and is a professor of theology at a seminary in Germany with three kids of her own. Aside from some asthma, she has no health issues.

Thought you might want to hear of a much older preemie who is pushing 40 and none the worse for her tiny birth!

My son was born at 30 weeks. He was 3 lbs 3 oz on 3/3/89.
He had a rough beginning, lots of ear infections and upper respiratory issues. I kept him in the house and every one washed before handling him until he was maybe 6 months.
I was up every three hours for two months to feed him after he came home from the hopsital. He spent 5 weeks in the neonatal incubator, we called it his cage.
I boiled his paci's and bottles. I was a complete germophobe with him.
He also was 100% boy in every way and played soccer, did cub scouts, swam on a team. He fell out of trees and never got hurt. He was and is one tough cookie. He was impossible in his teens, but they all are, born preemie or not. :o)
He is now 5'11" and 180#, a long way from the little peanut we brought home 22 years ago.
He is in San Diego serving as a US Sailor. He wants it to be his career.
I am very proud of him and he has done just fine.

WOW I love your son's story, what a little survivor!! Well, not so little anymore, but you know what I mean :) That's amazing :)

When I was pregnant with my 3rd, a mom on here was pregnant as well. We were due within a day of each other. She ended up going into labor 2 months early... I was so scared for her. Now, over a year later, when we get the boys together, it warms my heart that her little guy, who really struggled for his life, is now doing all the same things as my son. Gestationally, they are the same age, but in 'real time' her son is 2 months older. It's just neat that they started cooking at the same time ;)

I've had lots of friends whose babies came early, and thank god not one of them ended sadly. I raise my coffee mug to moms of preemies; I know it's not easy!! Babies are so resilient and so much stronger than we give them credit for :)

BEST WISHES to your kiddos in college!!

Hi theresa!

My twins were born at 29 weeks (three days) NOT that I was counting...(HA!!).

They are 14 now...and will be freshmen in HS this fall. Megan was in the nicu for 45 days...she was able to nurse (YEA!) and I was able to continue to pump for her sister Shannon. Megan is an honor roll student, and is thinking of going into the medical profession...unsure yet as to exactly just what.

Shannon's course has been somewhat different due to the prematurity and congenital heart issues. She has developmental delays, as well as some chronic health concerns...BUT SHE is the 'heart' of this family. With very few words, she has spoken volumes. The lessons she has taught ME (and her sibs) have been invaluable...patience, tolerance, kindness, compassion....the list goes on and on...

I know such wonderful progress has been made these last 14 years...but I would have any mom of a preemie remember that sometimes the very BEST gifts do come in smaller packages...and often teach the best lessons...

Michele/cat

I had my precious daughter at 30 weeks. she was 2 lbs 9 ozs. amazingly she had very few problems at all. at delivery they had to do blowby to get her to start breathing. but she always breathed on her own after that. she had to have a feeding tube because she was too young for her suck reflex to have started. we spent 39 days in the NICU. she came home at 4 lbs 7 ozs. she has not stopped growing since. she is two and a half years old now, and you'd never know except for the little heart tattoo on her stomach. (we had to do billi lights and the heat sensor sticker was a heart, so she has a white heart on her stomach from that. she had her first suntan in the NICU lol). she is speaking at or above age level, and learning as fast as anyone can teach her. is an amazing empathic child, and i thank God for her everyday. i can't even imagine what its going to be like when she starts school or goes off to college. it can't happen, i'm going to stop time now.

My son was born on May 15, 2006 at 30 weeks. He also had fetal hydrops, and the drs said he had less then a 10% chance of surviving. he was 5lbs 10oz at birth but once he lost the extra fluid went down to 2lbs 3oz. he was in the NICU for 35 days, and AMAZED everyone with how well he did. he is now a healthy bright little boy!

You will always have a special place reserved in your heart for the child who had struggles or issues as a newborn! Both my kids were 3 weeks early - my daughter was born with a craniofacial birth defect, and my son was in the NICU for a week - certainly not as dire as the circumstances with your preemie, but scary nonetheless. When I look at them now, at 19 and 15, both well-adjusted and happy teens, (for the most part, haha!) it just makes me so grateful and humbled to be their mom. Your son's story is so very inspirational - I'm sure other moms of preemies will take much comfort and hope from it. No wonder you're feeling emotional, as your son begins another new chapter in his life - you see how far he's come, and how far he has the potential to go! Best of luck to him!

My 25 weeker is now in 1st grade. She was 1 lb 3 oz and spent 15 weeks in the NICU.
She is beautiful, smart, and extremely healthy - just tiny compared the other kids in her class. She too has blown away all the statistics that were thrown at us when she was born.

So glad to hear there are others like her with such wonderful outcomes.

Awesome to hear, Theresa! I'd be weepy too. Congrats. :) Good question. Not sure if he "qualifies" because he's only 4 1/2 years old, but he's doing so good! Born at 34 weeks, he was in NICU for a couple weeks. Before he was born though, I had this phrase in my heart: "A plan and a purpose" that I thought was just for him. We actually carved it into his cradle, along with a verse from Jeremiah for him, and had it embroidered on his blanky. So when he was born and stuck in the hospital, I would just sit there by him and meditate on that phrase to keep me going.
One day as an infant we took him to the ER (turned out to be for a UTI) but while they were running tests on him, they saw something they didn't like and had me take him first thing in the morning to a pediatric cardiologist, thinking he had a hole in his heart. I took him home from the ER, sat him up (propped with pillows) in my chair, I was looking at him from the footstool, and I said "Listen to me clearly: you were born with a plan and a purpose...." and then started quoting scriptures and praying over him. I had to do this for my own sake, because I'd had a very close friend die from that when we were kids. We went to the cardiologist and they ran the test several times and did a sonogram or ultrasound on him, and there was no hole. He had a UTI when he was like 5 months old and we found from there that he had some sort of reflux where the tube wasn't connecting (I don't know the correct terms anymore), and he had like 6 ear infections until he was 18 months old and we got tubes in his ears. But the urologist said he's grown and developed correctly and we've had no more problems there, and no more ear infections. As a matter of fact, he's been perfectly healthy with nothing more than issues with allergies during pollen seasons since then.
Now at 4 1/2 years old he has evened out: he was a size 12 month at 2 years old, but now he wears 5 in shirts and 4T in shorts, and is average in his preschool class and soccer team. He's ahead of his age in academics, does 2 books in Awanas while everyone else in his class is just doing the 1, he's very successful in kung fu class and doing well in soccer. He can't dance to save his life, but he does it anyway. But more importantly, even though he has his own personal struggles, he is a kind person. His little brother gets on his nerves, but he defends him and tries to be patient. He has friends that he's close with, not just playmates that he sees on planned activities. He's told us that he is going to be a preacher and help kids in Africa. (Interesting, since we haven't told him about it yet, but my old roommate runs an orphanage and we have a home in Kenya....we haven't discussed it because we won't go back until our youngest son is old enough for the vaccines).
I think sometimes I've been too sensitive or fearful of things because he's my little guy and had difficulties so early in life. But at the risk of sounding like "that mom", I'm really proud of him and the way he's growing up. We all have our row to hoe, but he's actually handling himself in a way that makes me proud. And noone can tell, even at this young age, that he was ever a preemie.

So glad to hear that your son is doing so well! I am not the mom of a preemie, my kids were born at 41 and 38 weeks. However, if this is your youngest child, your feelings may not be entirely preemie related, many of us feel that way with our "child of lasts."

Congratulations, Theresa on your wonderful story! I have been working with children with learning disabilities for years, a few who were preemies, too. Your story is one I will share with delight! Thank you!

K. Johnson, MS Ed
Author, The Roadmap From Learning Disabilities to Success

Hurray! Good job mama, I think all your family is very lucky and deserving for each other, you should be proud and they should be proud of you.
You are one of the most nice and kind women I have meet in this website.

My cousin was born not only premature but my aunt was in bed rest for almost her whole pregnancy. When my cousin was born she was so small that she could fit in a shoe box, she know is 15, no problems whatsoever, and very smart.

There is also many famous preemies:
-Albert Einstein
-Napoleon Bonaparte
-Sir Winston Churchill
-Stevie Wonder
-Anna Pavlova

Cheers to you for another successful story!

I'm weepy just reading your post! Your baby is a TRUE MIRACLE. A baby under 2 pounds even today is a miracle and back in 1994... well, you know... I am sure all 16 years have gone so quickly. Just keep hugging your miracle...